Portable trouble light for automobiles



Sept. 6, 1949. P. A. PIERREZ 2,431,444

PORTABLE TROUBLE LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 18, 1947' INVENTOR.Wrap E 4E2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 6, 1949 PORTABLE TROUBLE LIGHT FORAUTOMOBILES Percival A. Pierrez, Belleville, N. J., assignor to La ScolaCorporation, Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationSeptember 18, 1947, Serial No. 774,815

8 Claims.

The device of the instant invention is a portable lamp especiallyadapted for electrical connection to the electric circuit of anautomotive vehicle. It embodies novel features of construction whichpermit of the ready assembly thereof, facilitatin the initialmanufacture thereof, and the disas- -sembly of the device forreplacement or repair of the parts.

The foregoing and other advantageous features and objects, will appearfrom the drawings and description hereinafter.

In the drawings, which illustrate one of the many possible forms of myinvention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly fragmentary, of a portablelamp embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective, partly fragmentary, view of the frame unitadapted to be removably secured to the casing of the lamp.

The portable lamp device ofmy invention, as shown in the drawings,comprises a tubular casing l adapted to removably receive the frame unitThe latter is provided with a socket ferrule l3 or the like adapted tohave complementary engagement with the ring l2 medially ,se--

cured to and carried by the rim l2. Preferably, the rim [2 constitutes areflector for the trouble light It and the ring I2 is internallythreaded for engagement with the complementarily threaded ferrule l3 ofthe frame unit The bulb |5 which is secured to the frame unit II inmanner hereinafter more particularly described, may be a warning light.The device is provided with a standard or support l1, and a handle l8 ofany desired convenient construction and is connected to the electriccircuit of the vehicle by means of a cable l9, which is provided at oneend with a plug 20 to engage a suitable complement/ary outlet in thevehicle, the opposite end of the cable being electrically connected withthe contact plate 2| with which the contacts 22 and 23 of the bulbs i5and iii are connected by suitable wires into which are cut the switches24 and 25 by means of which the bulbs I5 and It may be turned on and oilas desired by the user.

If it is desired that the bulb l5 be operated intermittently on and offto further emphasize the warning signal given thereby, flasher unit 26,which alternately makes and breaks an electric circuit, and which may beof any desired or convenient type suited for that purpose and well knownin the art, is secured to frame unit ll, said unit 26 being providedwith contacts 21 which are cut into the wires between the contacts 2|and one of the switches 24, 25 which controls the bulb l5. The wiringbetween the various contacts described and the switch elements may be ofany desired or convenient type, such as will be obvious to those skilledin this art.

Pursuant to the instant invention, the frame II is provided with spacedparallel arms 34 and 35 having angularly directed flanged ends 29 and 30to which a disc 3| is secured, by means of rivets 33 or the like, saiddisc having a circumferential downturned flange 32. The arms 34 and 35are provided with latch tongues 36 and 31 struck up therefrom or withother latching means. The bulb I5 is secured to the socket 28 carried bythe plate 38, the latter being provided with a circumferentialdownturned flange 39. The bulb H: is provided with a lens I 4, which maybe a colored lens, and which lens has a rim 40 positioned upon the plate38, the lens passing through the aperture 4| which is defined by thecircular inwardly directed step portion 42 of the disc 3|. Thus, the rim40 of the lens is disposed between the plate 38 and the step portion 42of the disc 3|. A washer 44 may be interposed between the disc 3| andone end of the casing I0, and a similar washer 45 may be positionedbetween the other end of the casing and the rim l2, and a washer 43 maybe interposed between the lens l4 and disc 3|. The lens I4 is insertedinto the aperture of the disc 3|, and the plate 38 is positioned againstthe rim 40 of the lens by passing said plate 38 between the tongues 36and 31 upwardly within the frame unit II; plate 38, engaging the tongues36 and 31 of the frame unit I l, urges the tongues outwardly until theplate 38 has passed the free ends of said tongues, at which time thetongues snap back to their original position, interlocking the parts asshown in Fig. 2. Reversing the process, the plate 38 and the lens l4 maybe removed.

The assembled bracket unit of the frame unit H is positioned in thecasing l0, closing one free end thereof, and the rim I2 is rotated atthe other end of the casing so that the threaded ring l2 thereofthreadedly engages the threaded ferrule l3 of the frame unit ll, drawingthe parts together to complete the assembly thereof, as shown in Fig. 1.By reversing the procedure mentioned, the parts may be readilydisassembled for repair or replacement.

The structure described provides for tightly locking the parts in thecasing 10, and sealing the casing in the assembly operation; at the sametime, the parts may be readily disassembled, when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I tary means on said rim andferrule to secure the same together, to assemble the device.

adapted to be secured to said casing through said end, latch members onsaid frame, a. disc secured to said frame, a plate, a light bulb unitsecured to said plate, said plate adapted to engage the latch members ofsaid frame when the plate is inserted in said frame, to have latchingengage- V ment with said latch members.

6. In a portable lamp, a tubular casing having at least one open, endfaframe to be secured in said casing through said end, said frame havingspaced arm members, latch members on said am 2. In a portable lampdevice comprising aztubn lar casing having at least one open end, aframe adapted to be secured to said casing, through said open end,tongues struck up from said frame, a

disc secured to said frame, said disc having a circular inwardlydirected step portion defining a medial aperture, a plate provided'witha circumferentiai, down-turned flange, a 'light bulb unit secured tosaid plate, said downturned' flange adapted to engage the tongues ofSaid frame 7 when the plate is inserted in said frame for registry withthe step portion, to snap past the free ends of said tongues, tointerlock therewith.

3. In a portable iamp device comprising a tubular casing, having an openend, a U-shap'ed frame,

- a ferrule secured to one end of said frame, a bulb-- supporting discsecured to the other end ofsaid frame, said disc and open end of saidcasing being to have registering engagement to close 7 said end, aadapted to have registering ongagement with the other and said casingvto close the same, and complementary threaded means on said rim andfemale to secure the same to ether, to assemble the device,

members, and a light bulb unit plate engaging the latch members of saidarm members when the plate is inserted in said frame to interlockthereand to't h us removably'latch the light bulb unit plate to saidframe.

1. iii-portable lamp device comprising a tubular casing having openends, a frame adapted to I be positioned in said casing, a disc securedto one end of said frame, for closing one end of the means to securealight ioulb to said disc, a reflector rimfor engaging and closing theother end of the casin s id rim and name ihawin c mmomentary means fordrawing the frame and rim togethen-to move the rim and disc into closingengagement with the ends or the tubular 3. A portabielampdevice'cemprising. a'tiibw' lar casing having open ends, aframe to .bcpmi tioned with-in saidcasing, a disc secured to one end of said frame,for engaging and closing one 7 end of the casing, meanstto secure afight bulb to said disc, a member for the other and of the casing,saidm'ember '4. In a portable lamp device comprising a tubula-r havingat least one open end, a frame adapted to be scoured to said casingthrough said end, tongues struck up from said frame, a disc secured tosaid frame, said disc having a medial aperture, a plate, a light imibunit seoimedito said plate, said piate adapted; to engage the tonguesofjsaid frame when the'piate is inserted in said frame, to snap backpast the free ends-of said tongues, to interlock therewith.

5. In a portable lamp device comprising a tubuiair casing having atleast one open'end, a frame frame'havimg complementary means for drawingthem together, to more the member and disc into closing engagementwiththe ends of the tabular mower. A. Pmnsmz;

screams-Es was The foliowing references are of record in the file ofthis patent: a

V i STAKES Number V V V Bate '1, i; 5. a e t May H, 1 29 2,096,293,Haines Aug; 1'1, 1932 Macketa1;. Juiy '11, 1939 I and closing 7

